Willow Warbler

Phylloscopus trochilus

Other Names

    Pouillot fitis   Fitis   Mosquitero Musical   Lövsångare   Fitis   Luì grosso

World: Eurasia from Britain and northern Scandinavia E through N Russia and N Siberia to the Bering Sea at Anadyrland. Its southerly range goes to S France, northern Italy, n Croatia, n serbia, n Romania, cetral Russia and sw Siberia. Winters in the tropics reaching as far south sa South Africa.

Kenya: Winter visitor to wooded areas and forest up to an altitude of 3000m - although it is mostly found below 2200m.

This is a palearctic migrant occuring in Kenya from mid-September to early May. Most birds found in Kenya are believed to be of the race acredula (pictured above) which is found in Europe through to central Siberia, although repesentatives of the eastern Siberian race yakutensis also occur. In some years they can occur in very large numbers.

The Willow Warbler is a small warbler with a characteristic disyllabic call. It is this call which is the best means of distinguishing it from the less common, but very similar, Chiffchaff. It is regularly seen pumping its tail up and down and occasionally flicking its wings. Although it displays a preference for acacia trees it feeds in vegetation at all levels from low level dense herbage to the very top of the canopy.